Where Is My Dog, Cat, Cockatiel, Gecko???

Simply open your front door and watch your pet disappear. Put them in the backyard and see how fast they learn to dig under or climb over the fence. And while they speed away, you’re left panicking and wondering what to do now. Meanwhile, potential dangers are all around your pet. The longer they are out there alone, the more they are left with the possibility of having to deal with speeding cars, dangerous predators, disease, thirst, starvation and falling into the wrong hands – all heartbreaking possibilities.

Did you know that one in three pets gets lost in their lifetime? Unfortunately, 90% won’t find their way back. Many will be easily found and captured, but with no way to know where they came from, they are often kept by their finders, sold, given away or turned over to a local shelter. THEN WHAT??? There are actions that you – your pet’s best friend – can do RIGHT NOW.

Be sure your pet has a Rabies vaccination and that the vaccination tag is attached to his collar. Since this tag usually has the administering hospital’s name and a rabies ID number imprinted, when your pet is found, a quick call to the hospital can reunite you with your pet. Also, this vaccination is required in all states and can prevent your pet from acquiring rabies which is frequently fatal.

Take a current picture of your pet that accurately represents the way he looks. Store it on your phone and have a printed copy handy. Immediately showing and posting this picture when your pet goes missing is an effective way to quickly put the word out.

AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY,

HAVE YOUR PET MICROCHIPPED. While rabies and ID tags attached to collars have proven helpful, collars can slip off, the tags can break off, be impossible to read and be purposely removed. The ultimate back-up is a MICROCHIP. It is about the size of a grain of rice and stores a unique ID that can be scanned by most vet hospitals and shelters to identify the pet and you. They have been implanted by veterinarians for many years and have proven to be safe and very effective. The procedure is quick, feels like a small pinch, and will not fail over time. Microchips are usually provided by companies that provide pet recovery services including a 24/7 lost pet hotline, lost pet alerts to local vet hospitals, and a downloadable poster where a pet’s picture can be inserted for printing and posting. Once you register your pet with the service they will have all the information needed to reunite you with your pet.

DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE TO DO THE RIGHT THING!

Did you know chips work equally well on cats, birds, and reptiles? And owners, if your pet is already chipped and registered, don’t forget to keep your contact information current or else not only will your pet be lost, but you will be too!!